1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to excellent wood preservative compositions comprising a carboxylate of the formula (I): ##STR2## as an active ingredient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wood, used as a building material for houses, construction, necessities, furniture, common industrial materials and the like, is damaged by various insects or microorganisms. Particularly, wood is damaged by termites and lauan and Japanese oak are damaged by powder-post beetles. Hitherto, dieldrin and BHC have been used to prevent this damage, but these compounds have a strong toxicity and present a danger of environmental pollution and for this reason their use has been gradually limited.
For the reasons described above, extensive studies have been directed to wood preservative compositions which can be used safely and with high effectiveness. As a result, it has been found that compositions containing a carboxylate of the foregoing formula (I) have excellent properties in the preservation of wood.
The carboxylate of the formula (I) according to the present invention not only has an excellent insecticidal activity but also an excellent ability to maintain its activity, as is apparent from the examples described hereinafter, as compared with chlordane, a typical insecticidal compound most commonly used to control insects harmful to wood. Also, it has the advantage of low toxicity. Consequently, the esters are excellent as wood preservatives.